Seafood's social media drive

The concepts "Norwegian Salmon - my best secret" ​​and the video "Human Sushi" constitute the core of the Norwegian Seafood Council's current alternative marketing scheme.

The "my best secret" campaign rolled out in Spain last year, after the concept had first been tested in Italy.

“The main message is that Norwegian salmon is the secret to creating simple and healthy food. TV has been our primary channel for the message, but we have also had brochures and posters at retail outlets. We use ads in newspapers and online and social media like Facebook and YouTube,” says fisheries envoy to Spain, Hilde Gunn Fure Osmundsvåg.

In one year, Spanish consumers’ preference for Norwegian salmon, knowledge of the country as a salmon producer and detection of the national logo increased to respectively 75, 84 and 23 per cent.

“The campaign has been so successful that we have used our experience to adapt the campaign to Poland. The results have been very encouraging,” says marketing manager Ragnhild Dahle Heen.

In Poland 41 per cent of respondents now recognize Norway's logo, while in 2012 the figure was only 35 per cent.

“To develop marketing concepts cost money. Reusing models from the Spanish campaign gives us lower costs and we can use the same campaign in other markets and media. After Russia's boycott of Norwegian seafood is this concept has been deployed in several markets,” says Dahle Heen.

Social media

The Seafood Council has established social media #Sushifredag ​​via traditional ads, social and digital media. The campaign also aims for consumers to inspire each other by posting photos and recipes.

The YouTube video "Human Sushi" was launched last year and received attention in both Norwegian and foreign media, including Time magazine. The video is approaching a million views, and has been particularly well received in Asia.

“There are enormous opportunities if you manage to create something that is engaging. It is about daring; be simple and playful while communicating a message. It can give a very different value than traditional advertising,” says Dahle Heen.